Air purifier and muffler.



No. 653,6l2. Patented July lo, |900.

. H. L.y BRDWN. AIB PumFlE AND MUFFLER.

(Application led Apr. 4, 1899.) l (No Modem UNITED 1STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. BROWN, OF'ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OFr ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM H. THAOKERAY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR PURIFI'ER AND IVIUFFLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,612, dated July 10, 1900.

Application filed April 4, 1899. Serial No. 711,657. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Beit known that LHARRY LINCOLN BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Allegheny, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AirPuriers and Mufiiers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,"clear, and exact description thereo t, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l indicates an elevation of my improved air purifier and mufier. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. Ltis a section taken on lines a: ec of Fig. 1, showing plan view of one of the deliectors broken away to show the one below.

In the use of gas or gasolene engines it is always desirable to supply air thereto as free from dust, dirt, or detritus of any character as possible. It therefore frequently occurs that to do this a supply-pipe must be used of a length sufficient to reach outside the faotory, in which case the pipe must be very considerably enlarged in order to reduce the friction occasioned bythe pull through a pipe of great length. Even under such circumstances the air is more or less charged with line dust, which materially interferes with the efficiency of the puriiier.

My invention relates to devices adapted to prevent the admission of dust, dirt, or detritus of any character to the purifier and to furnish practically-pure air to the explosivechamber of gas or gasolene engines.

In addition to purifying the air one of Ythe principal objects of my invention is to muffle, lessen, or entirely remove the noise caused by gas-engines when drawing a charge of air and gas into the cylinder thereof, and this is accomplished by interposing the reservoir between the inlet-port of the engine and the source of supply of air, the reservoir being adapted to contain a greater quantity of air than is taken in one charge of the engine and is constantly replenished by -new air entering the reservoir, and from the fact that the reservoir itself is movable-that is, every time there is a charge of air withdrawn therefrom the inverted bell or cylinder is sucked or 'scopic fluid.

drawn downwardly and upon suspension of draft of the engine is again elevated by the retraction of the spring and the pressure of the incoming air. To these purposes my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 is a tank adapted to contain sufficient water to seal or lute the lower end of an inclosed cylinder 2, inverted therein. The said cylinder is suspendedin said tank by means of vertical rods 3 3 or other suitable means. The lower ends of said rods are secured or fastened in the top of said cylinder 2, and the upper ends of the same project through orifices in the upper horizontal portions 4. 4 of the frame 5 and are screw-threaded and provided with nuts 6, between which and the shoulder 7 spiral springs 8 8 are mounted. The said inverted cylinder 2 is provided with a series of perforated deliecting-plates 9 9, which extend across the center of the cylinder, longitudinally of the same, dividing the cylinder into two compartments o. and b. The crooked ends of the pipes lO and 10 terminate in said compartments a and b, respectively.

The pipe lO extends outwardly through the tank and may terminate at its outer end in the factory, or be extended out into the atmosphere outside of the factory. The pipe 10 at its inner end is connected with the airinlet pipe of the gas-engine. The inner termination of both of said pipes is extended above the Water-level in the tank, the pipe l0 being on a higher horizontal plane than pipe 10, as shown in the drawings.

1l is a reservoir adapted to contain hygro- (Glycerin is preferred with gas or gasolene engines. Petroleum may be used with air-fans, air-compressors, air-registers, dac.) Said reservoir is so arranged that the liquid or Huid, slowly dripping therefrom, drops from one detlecting-plate to the other for the purpose of absorbing to a certain extent some of the moisture in the air, thelsaid deflecting-plates being perforated at 9' and provided with longitudinal ribs 9 on the upper side to admit of this. It will be observed that the ribs, beginning with the one on the uppermost plate, are offset from the higher IOO edge of the plates more and more on the successive plates of the" series, thus insuring the most perfect distribution of the fluid as it drips from one to the other.

The operation of my device is as follows, viz: Being suitably connected to the air-inlet pipe of the gas or gasolene engine, the engine being started the air contained in cylinder 2 is drawn into the air-inlet port ofthe engine, causing a partial vacuum in the cylinder 2,

whereupon air' from the atmosphere enters said cylinder through pipe 10 and, beingV drawn from compartment a thereof into compartment b, impinges against the moistened inclined deiector-plates, whereby dust or detritus of any kind is deposited thereon and ultimately fallin g into the water therein, thus preventing dust or any foreign substance passing. from chamber b into 'the explosivechamber of the engine. The inward draft or suction of the engine moves the cylinder 2 downward, compressing the spring. Immediately thev inlet-port of the engine is closed the atmosphere entering the cylinder through pipe 10, assisted by the retraction of the springs, elevates the cylinder as it is filled with air.

One ofthe many advantages of'my device is that it may be placed in close proximity with the engine, and notwithstanding the length of pipe that may be extended therefrom to the atmosphere the draft of the engine in drawing air is minimized at the same time practically pure air is applied.

It is obvious that my invention may be applied to air-compressors or any character of device Where air is used as a factorin the operation thereof-as,for instance, air-fans, airregisters, &c.

4 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An air purifier and muiiier, comprising a tank, adapted to contain Water, an inclosed movable spring-supported inverted bell or cylinder, the lower end of which is sealed in the water in said tank, a series of plates subdividing said cylinder into two compartments and adapted to arrest and take up dust and detritus of any character that may be drawn into the first compartment with the air, whereby practically-pure airis applied from the second chamber or compartment to the engine, an air-inlet for one of said compartments, an air-outlet for the other compartment, and a suction device communicating with' said outlet.

2. In an air purifier and muffler, the combination of a tank, a movable spring-supported inverted bell or cylinder therein, an air-inlet connecting said cylinder with the atmosphere, an air-outlet for said cylinder, a collector in said cylinder to arrest dust or other foreign substancel passing therethrough, a tank adapted to supply hygroscopic fluid to the collector, and a suction device communieating with said outlet.

3. In an air purifier and muiiler, the combination with a duid-tank, of an inverted bell or cylinder movable therein, a dust-collector in said cylinder'or bell, springs adapted to keep the bell normally raised,an air-inlet and an air-outlet entering said bell on opposite sides of the collector, and a suction device communicating with the air-outlet.

4. In an air purifier and muffler, the combination, with .the fluid-tank, of an inverted bell or cylinder movable therein, a dust-collector in said cylinder or bell, an air-inlet entering said bell on one sidev of the collector, an air-outlet entering it on the opposite side of the collector and a suction device communicating with the air-outlet, a frame on the tank, rods on the bell or cylinder which pass through the frame and springs on said rods adapted to hold the bell raised.

5. In adevice substantially as described,the combination of a suction device, a Huid-tank, an inverted bell or cylinder movable therein, means adapted to keep the bell normally raised, an air-inlet and an air-outlet, the said air-outlet communicating with said suction device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afxed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY L. BROWN.

Witnesses:

C. A. WILLIAMS, JNO. H. RoNEY. 

